


A Far Flung Apple That Leads To The Tree

by jenstraflintlocked



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenstraflintlocked/pseuds/jenstraflintlocked
Summary: Lin Beifong leaves Republic City under suspicious circumstances. The Krew and Su try and track her down and find out why Lin left so suddenly and who the mysterious young woman is that seems to have caused her disappearance.
Relationships: Lin Beifong & Suyin Beifong, Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 29
Kudos: 168





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this idea won't leave me alone so I decided I'd write it up and see if that might get it to

Lin hadn’t expected anything out of the ordinary when she led a team to raid a gang’s storage facility. She’d trained her officers well after all and Mako was there as her right hand man. She was outside making sure the main suspects got packed off alright when Mako came up to report a problem.

“What kind of problem is it that you can’t deal with it?” Lin asked as they walked back into the warehouse, surprised at Mako needing help in the round up. She’d seen him in training and often sparred with him herself. The kid was a capable fighter.

“A woman.”

Lin snorted. “Don’t ask me for help there, kid.”

“No!” Mako sighed and pointed.

The woman in question was surrounded by five of her officers and was doing a sterling job of keeping them back with what looked like very rough earth bending. Amateurs could always be the worst, she reflected. They’d wildly swing boulders around, acting as if that made them tough. But the woman had good balance as well; any attempts to make the ground move underneath her was resulting in officers landing on their ass as she turned it against them.

But Lin had been taught by Toph and she was well used to such tricks. She walked up, grounded herself and then shunted all the boulders out the way with ease. She lined up her wire, ready to track any movement. But there was none. Merely a stunned expression. The woman’s hands fell limply to her sides as she stared at Lin. Deciding questions could come later, Lin wasted no time handcuffing her.

“You…” the woman managed to utter as Lin motioned for one of her officers to take the woman away.

“Always.” Lin folded her arms and checked on the rest of her officers, sending any injuries off to the healing hospital and consulting with Mako as to the best way to store the contraband.

It was a while later that she got back to the station to find an extremely harassed looking duty officer waiting for her.

“The young woman you arrested.” He followed her up to her office. “She said she won’t talk to anyone but you.”

“She making any more trouble?”

“No. Considering the fight she put up when we tried to arrest her? She’s been a model prisoner. We suspect she might’ve been trafficked by the gang. Not a local accent, you know?”

“We didn’t get any reports of people smuggling.” Lin was surprised. “But, if she’s willing to talk, I’ll see what I can do.” She sighed as she headed down to the cells. It was clearly going to be another late night. She began to feel a ripple of apprehension. The way the woman had said “You…” As if she recognised her somehow. But what connection could she possibly have to Lin? She waved away the other officers outside the interrogation room; partly because they deserved to go home and partly because whatever this woman had to say, she wanted to hear it first. And the woman had asked to speak to her alone. Might as well respect that. “Head home. I can tidy up here.” She said as she opened the door and sat down opposite the woman.

When all that showed up of Chief Beifong the next morning was a small letter left on the duty desk, informing her second in command that she was going to be taking a leave of absence, the entire station descended into mild chaos and rumours. Mako immediately called Korra.

“What do you mean? A ‘leave of absence’?” Korra seemed baffled.

“Exactly!” Mako said. “You think the _Chief_ ’ _s_ gone on _holiday_? No. This is far too suspicious. Could even be something to do with those Great Uniter supporters still around. Getting to Lin would give them a valuable hostage.”

“Okay. I think that’s…a minor conspiracy theory. Maybe Kya finally managed to convince her to take some time off?”

“I haven’t called Kya yet.” Mako admitted. “I’ll do that now.”

“Let me do it. Call Tenzin! Maybe he knows something about it?”

Tenzin was far more concerned than Korra had been and turned up with Opal in tow, just as Korra and Asami were coming in with Kya.

“I’ve checked her apartment. She’s definitely not there. Looks like she hasn’t even been home.” Kya shook her head as they asked her what she knew.

“How did you even get in?” Tenzin wondered.

“Spare key.” Kya dangled it.

“How come you have a spare key?” Opal asked curiously.

“I’ve stayed at hers in the past.” Kya shrugged.

There was a pause, which was filled with silent questions that no-one quite had the nerve to ask out loud.

“Inspector Mako!” an officer charged up. “Sorry to interrupt sir, but the prisoner from yesterday. The woman. She’s missing! No sign of forced exit, no discharge note. She’s just gone. One of the officers who took her in said she'd only talk to the Chief, so the Chief let them go home and that's the last they saw of her.”

“And now they’re both gone. Put out an alert, city wide, immediately! Do we have any pictures of the woman? Descriptions?” Mako left to organise the search, sounding remarkably like Lin as he went around shouting orders.

The rest of them looked at each other in bemusement. Asami picked up the letter and turned it over, trying to glean any more information than what was already on the page.

“Maybe it’s someone Lin knows from uh...somewhere else.” Opal tried to think of where that could be and failed to come up with anything.

“Where from? I think the only time Lin has ever left the city was to help us with our Air Bender search.” Tenzin sighed heavily. “Republic City is her life.”

“Then our best bet is to search the city." Asami said. "Can Naga help, do you think?” she asked her girlfriend.

“Sure!” Korra nodded.

“I can get you something of Lin's if you need it.” Kya offered.

Korra glanced at Tenzin and then covered the moment with a bright “Great! We'll go get Naga. Meet you back here?”

Kya nodded and Korra left with Asami, the two of them sharing a pointed look. Mako returned shortly and Kya and Tenzin updated him.

“That's two searches. We should be able to come up with something from that. If she's still in the city at least." he sighed. “But I can’t think of anywhere else she’d go.”

“She might’ve gone to see Mom.” Opal piped up after few minutes of silence.

Tenzin and Mako looked at her. Kya was less subtle and laughed out.

“Well she has in the past! Once. Mom told me. She said she’d never been so shocked.” Opal folded her arms and stared at the floor.

“I never knew that.” Tenzin raised his eyebrows.

“She was only gone for a couple of days. Suyin’s birthday. She wanted to make an effort.” Kya explained.

“Oh!” Mako clicked his fingers. “Was that what that was about? She told me she was leaving to track down a criminal that had fled the city.”

“Well, I mean she wasn’t lying.” Kya burst out laughing again.

Opal scowled at her until Kya shut up. “Well I’m going to call Mom anyway. If Lin is missing, she’ll want to know after all.”

“Good point Opal. And Suyin might have some ideas as to what’s going on.” Tenzin tried to look as supportive as possible to make up for his sister’s behaviour.

Two days later, the duty officer was having a bad day. He’d already had to deal with Suyin Beifong walking into the station and demanding to speak to every single officer who had even breathed near her sister three days ago. He’d only just finished thanking his lucky stars he was too young to have worked under their mother when a flustered woman came up to the desk, demanding to speak to Chief Lin Beifong immediately. “It’s urgent.” She thumped the desk.

“I’m afraid she’s not here at the moment. But any one of our officers can help you.” He said reassuringly, ignoring the hand on his desk with practiced ease.

“I doubt that. It has to be Chief Beifong.”

“Well that’s not possible at the moment I’m afraid.” The duty officer sighed inwardly. Why did he always get the irritable middle aged ladies demanding to speak to the highest authority. And why now when the Chief was AWOL. “Can I ask what the issue is?”

“I’ve lost my daughter. Well, she ran away. But I know she’s come here. She had this stupid idea in her head ever since we heard the news. Please.” The woman finally seemed to be remembering her manners. “I know she would’ve come to speak to Chief Beifong.”

“And why would she do that?”

“It’s personal.” The woman suddenly looked haughty.

Of course it would be personal. The duty officer took a small breath. “I’ll leave a message for her, but I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.” He shrugged to indicate his helplessness in this affair.

The lady told him where she’d be staying, a cheap hotel to his surprise, and then left, to his relief. He was never lying when he told people like that that he was afraid.

After three unsuccessful days of searching, another letter showed up, purporting to be from Chief Beifong, stating that she was perfectly fine, and not to worry, and that she was sorry if she’d worried them and would Kya keep an eye on her apartment, as she had a key.

They all clustered round Mako’s desk to stare at it blankly.

“Lin Beifong? Apologising? For worrying people?” Su leaned in closer. “Sounds fake.”

“It is her handwriting. For both of the letters.” Kya pointed out.

“Yeah but I bet whoever this woman was? Had an immobilising device hidden on her and she captured Lin and took her somewhere…” Bolin speculated, having joined them to help his brother in the search.

“And then _forced_ her to write these letters so we’d be fooled into thinking it was her and that she was all fine…” Bumi added, having come to help _his_ brother.

“When really! She’s not!” Bolin said triumphantly.

“How could she write the letters while she was immobilised?” Kya asked Bolin, her mouth twitching.

“Well she would’ve stopped being immobilised after a while obviously!”

“Unfortunately!” Tenzin interrupted. “Whether your theory is correct or not, this still doesn’t help us find her. Naga’s turned up nothing?” he turned to Korra in an attempt to ignore his brother and Bolin.

“Her scent is around the airships but then it would be. Doesn’t prove anything. She did pick up something at the train station but…” Korra shrugged.

“Well it’s worth questioning the people at the ticket office, see if they saw anything.” Mako nodded. “I’ll send down a squad.”

“Are you in charge now?” Korra teased him.

“Uh. Honestly?” He halted in the doorway and looked round at the rest of them, crowded into the area outside Lin’s office. “I’m not sure. But we need to find her.”


	2. Chapter 2

_The train ride had been an uncomfortable two day journey; sitting in silence opposite the young woman who, after her initial gabbling, had fallen silent as she’d been dragged through the city by Lin and bundled onto the first train out the city. But then what else could she have done? Okay, Lin admitted to herself, she had no real proof that this kid was telling the truth, and it was a pretty big gamble to take, considering she should be back at headquarters, helping to clean up after the raid. Statements to be taken, evidence to be assessed. But, despite the backbone the young woman had shown; stowing away in a crate on a train and then finding herself in a gang’s warehouse as it turned out she’d chosen the one crate that was full of contraband, and still being able to come up fighting and winning against Lin’s officers, the kid looked too naïve to come up with a story like that. And the look on her face when she’d seen Lin._

_“You hungry kid?” Lin asked, as they got off the train at their apparent destination. There’d been rest stops and changes, an overnight stop where Lin had sent letters back home, before finding a hostel to sleep in. But the food had been awful, and she was looking forward to some decent breakfast and hoped that this small village that was apparently their destination would have something._

_“Sure. But you know, it’s not that far now.”_

_“Hmm.”_

_“And it’s a_ farm _. There’s always food. Good food. Fresh food.”_

_“And you’re wondering just how much trouble you’re going to be in for pulling this stunt.” Lin snorted. Just as I am. She added to herself. “Lead the way kid.”_

None of the ticket staff could recall anyone matching the description of either Chief Beifong or the young woman, the officer in charge of the squad reported back. He’d keep asking in case they’d missed someone who was currently off. Tenzin, Bumi and Opal had decided to gather some airbenders to fly ahead to the nearest train stations, see if the staff there had seen anything or anyone.

“Well. That was our one lead.” Mako stared thoughtfully across the room as he sat at his desk, drumming his fingers on it.

“Do you think there’s a hint in her office?” Su tried the handle. It was locked. And the lock was made of platinum, she discovered. No metal-bending it open then.

Kya walked up to stand beside her, fished a key out from around her neck and opened it. “I doubt it. But we can have a look in here if you’re that curious Su.” She winked and then went and sat in the large chair behind the desk, looking immediately at home as she leaned back in it.

Everyone else followed a little nervously, looking around them as if expecting arrows to shoot from corners or traps to spring up or an alarm to blare and give them away. But the only sound was the thuds as Kya put her feet up on the desk. Su stared pointedly at them but Kya didn’t move. Merely waved an arm to indicate that this was it. The large desk, with the neat trays for paperwork, well lit by windows. The steel filing cabinet, which Bolin was attempting to open. The chairs by the door which Asami took a seat in. The map of the world on the wall, above a scroll of some dense writing and a picture by a tall wooden cabinet in the corner.

Mako shrugged and with a deep breath to steel himself, started sifting through the paperwork on Lin’s in tray.

“What are you looking for?” Korra asked, getting up from one of the chairs by the door.

“A ransom note of some kind. Something to explain any of this. It doesn’t make sense.” He rubbed his forehead.

“Hmm.” Asami nodded, coming over to stand by Korra. “It does seem a little strange. If they wanted to kidnap Chief Beifong, say for revenge, why would they bother to leave letters? It’s not like we’ve believed them. We’re searching for her anyway. It’s hardly slowing us down.”

“Exactly!” Mako agreed. “But if they’ve kidnapped her for ransom, why haven’t they issued their demands with the letters? Money, prisoner transfer. Just telling us she’s fine is…”

“Strange. Yes it is strange.” Suyin agreed. She’d given up on the pretence of finding a clue and had just been taking in the office, filled with surprise and gratification that the picture on the wall was one of Opal, hugging her air bison and smiling at the camera.

Asami looked at Su as she stared at the photo, then turned back to Mako. “Your officers said that the young woman recognised Lin? Would only speak to her?”

“Called her Chief Beifong and everything. Although that doesn’t prove much. The Chief isn’t exactly a private figure.” Mako shrugged. He’d been in the office several times but not without the Chief being there too and the trespass into the Chief’s privacy was making him tense.

“Well I doubt it’s someone from Lin’s mysterious past.” Su said. “She doesn’t have one.”

“Could it be someone Toph knew? Say, someone from her dad’s side of the family? That’s a pretty mysterious part of her past right?” Bolin asked suddenly.

Su gave him a small sad smile and shook her head. “Lin never knew her father. He left before Lin was even born.”

“How do you know that though?” Bolin’s face lit up. “You weren’t even born either! Maybe…”

“Well I was.” Kya waved her hand. “Not that I was old enough to really remember. But Mom and Dad told me. Mostly to make sure I never mentioned it.”

“Besides, Mom wouldn’t bother lying about something like that. She just wouldn’t talk about it.” Su slumped slightly and sat down in Asami’s vacated chair, her head resting gently on her fingers.

“Oh. Yeah. Lin said.” Bolin sagged as well.

“Do you know if he knew though? Her dad I mean. About Lin?” Asami asked tentatively.

“Even if he did know about Lin and this woman was somehow connected to him, it wouldn’t help _us_. We don’t _know_ who our fathers were.” Su snapped.

“Sure we do. Well, Lin’s dad at any rate. Toph…told…us…” Bolin trailed off, quailing under Suyin’s expression. It was so similar to Lin’s one when he’d asked Toph about it.

“What’re you talking about Bolin?” Asami held up a hand to forestall whatever Su was about to yell.

“Um. It was just before we were about to rescue you, Su. We were all camped out in the forest. Toph surprised us by turning up. And I…I asked Toph who Lin’s dad was. I was just curious! And she said…” Bolin took a breath and tried to mimic Toph’s voice. “A man named Kanto. Nice man, but it didn’t work out.”

Suyin looked stunned and didn’t say anything, merely sinking back into the chair once more. Asami took the moment to stare at the other person in the room who wasn’t saying anything either.

“Worth looking into!” Korra said a little too loudly. “Wouldn’t you say so Mako?”

“Uh sure! Yes! Absolutely. There’s bound to be records. We can ask Tenzin. What would that be…54 years ago? 55? C’mon Bolin! Let’s go see what I can find in the archives.” Mako dragged his brother out the door and they both ran straight into the duty officer.

“Please tell me the Chief is back. Or that you know something? _ANYTHING_ that I can tell this woman?” he hissed, gesturing over his shoulder to a woman stood in the doorway to the hall. “She’s bugged me every hour since my shift began, wanting to speak to the Chief about her missing daughter. I’ve _told_ her that she’s not here, but she just won’t believe me. I’ve told her other officers can help her, but she’s convinced only the Chief of Police will do.” The man was nearly in tears now.

“I’ll deal with it.” Mako patted him on the shoulder and went to move past him but it was Bolin’s turn to drag his brother back.

“MISSING DAUGHTER?!!” His face lit up once more “Mako!” he stage whispered. “This woman has a missing _daughter_.” He pointed very obviously at the woman. “Kind of like how _we’re_ missing someone?”

“The young woman!” Mako caught on and snapped his fingers. “Can you describe your daughter for us?” He called as he ran past the woman to his desk to collect the description of the young woman.

“As I’ve already told that man several times…” 

“Does she look like this?” He strode over to her and waved the most clearly written description in front of the woman’s nose.

“Yes!” She nodded, after she’d taken it from him and read it. “Now, if I can just speak to Chief Beifong…”

“She’s missing too. Last seen with this young woman. Your daughter. She also wanted to speak to Chief Beifong alone. Apparently it was personal.”

“Yes. It is.” The woman sighed. “Oh well. At least I know where my daughter is now.” She lowered the piece of paper and looked at Mako and Bolin, and then Su and Korra and Asami as they came out Lin’s office to join the brothers in staring curiously at the woman. “And seeing as you’ve helped me solve my mystery, I suppose I should help you solve yours.”

Kya leant against the doorway, having finally rousted herself from Lin’s chair. “By all means.”


	3. Chapter 3

The woman crumpled the description of her daughter and frowned. “It’s quite simple, really. If my daughter has disappeared along with Chief Beifong, then they’re probably on their way home. If they’re not already there.”

“Home?” Mako raised an eyebrow.

“My home. Our home. It’s a small farm about two, three days journey from here by train.”

“You’re telling me Lin Beifong is on a farm? Lin Beifong left Republic _City_ to go to a _farm_?” Su looked baffled.

“Yes. As I should be doing too now, as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Well for starters, it’s a farm.” The woman said, a little testily. “It’s always busy, particularly at this time of year. And I have work to do. This little escapade has wasted so much time. Plus, I should check whether they managed to make it there.”

“I meant, what is Lin doing on a farm? Your farm, specifically.”

The woman looked guarded. “Look. I don’t know how well you know Chief Beifong, and…”

“I’m her sister-.” Su snapped.

“-Half-sister.” Kya interjected.

“-How do you know her?”

The woman looked stunned for a second but recovered quickly. “Never met her before in my life. But I am very much looking forward to doing so when I return home.” She relented at the expression on Su’s face. “But I suppose I can wait a few more hours if you want to come with me.”

“Of course we do!”

“For starters, we need to make sure the Chief’s okay too.” Mako agreed.

They decided to wait until the Airbenders returned, to save repeating the story. Not that the woman told them much. She gave her name only as Ruo. Her farm was a small one in the middle of the earth kingdom, near a town that was only just large enough to have its own train station. Her daughter had come to Republic City in search of Chief Beifong, although Ruo couldn’t imagine how she’d been able to afford the train ticket here.

“I think she smuggled on board a freight train. We found her in a warehouse, during a raid on a gang.” Mako tried to explain gently. He judged by Ruo’s expression that when she did get home, her daughter was going to be in trouble for that and felt guilty for having told her.

“But why did your daughter want to find Lin?” Su asked the question everyone had in the forefront of their minds. “That’s a pretty desperate action to take.”

Ruo sighed. “Because she got a wild scheme in her head and nothing we could say would dissuade her. And quite frankly, the one person who could’ve…I don’t think he really wanted to.” She smiled enigmatically.

“Well. That explains everything.” Kya nodded. “I’d better go organise some time off work.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Two to three days isn’t a quick trip. And I doubt this will be a short visit.”

“I doubt that as well. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pay my hotel bill and collect my belongings. Shall I meet you back here, in say two hours?” Ruo got up and strode out the bullpen.

“See you then!” Kya waved.

“I’m sorry. Did you get something more from that than we did?” Su asked the waterbender sarcastically, folding her arms. “She didn’t explain anything.”

“Mako. You’re the detective here.” Kya patted him on the shoulder and left before Su could say anything further.

“Uhh…” he turned to face the rest of them and shrugged. “I have to say, I’m having a harder time figuring it out than Kya. But it doesn’t matter. We can’t all go. I have to stay here and hold down the fort.”

“And we’re busy with the airbenders. I can’t really leave everything.” Tenzin shrugged helplessly.

“I’m going to have to stay too.” Korra pointed at herself. “If the Avatar _and_ the Chief of Police disappear, it’ll raise a lot of questions. And together me and Mako can handle anything major that comes up.”

“Well I’m going.” Su folded her arms. “And apparently so is Kya.”

“Bolin!” Mako pointed a finger at his brother. “Why don’t you and Opal go, as the representative of the police force and the Air Nation? You’ve both travelled widely in the Earth kingdom. Your knowledge will be useful. Kya gives us a healer and along with Su, an experienced combat team.”

“Uhhh, Mako?” Bolin raised his hand tentatively. “This isn’t a mission. We’re just going to see Lin. On a farm. Right?”

“I don’t want to rule out a connection to the gang. Even if Kya seems happy enough with Ruo’s information. We should be prepared for anything. Particularly in such an isolated part of the Earth Kingdom. It’s too soon after…” Mako glanced at Suyin and trailed off with a cough. “Well, there’s still a lot of tension in the Earth Kingdom. No need to take chances. Now. You’ve got two hours to get some supplies together and buy train tickets.”

Kya and Ruo appeared at the last minute, leaving no time for any further interrogation as they quickly boarded the train. But once they were seated, Su leaned across the table and stared at Ruo.

“She’s not going to stop asking.” Kya warned Ruo. “I respect you wanting to protect Lin’s privacy though.”

“I think I have a right to know what’s going on. I’m Lin’s sister!”

“Half.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Su was incensed, particularly when Kya merely let out a loud “Ha!”

Ruo slumped backwards in her seat. “ _You_ being her half-sister probably doesn’t have much to do with this situation, I agree. But _my_ being her half-sister is, alas, rather pertinent.”

For a few moments, even the sound of the train rattling over the tracks seemed hushed.

“Aw why is it always me? Why do I always have to be present when some huge truth about Lin Beifong gets revealed?” Bolin wailed miserably. Kya glanced at him sharply and he shut up.

“I’m here as well.” Opal tried to comfort him.

“Opal. Why don’t you and Bolin go find out what the food is like on this train? It’s going to be a long trip after all.” Kya suggested kindly.

Opal nodded and took a sobbing Bolin by the hand, leading him down the aisle between the other passengers who stared at them, some in confusion, some in mild horror, until the hiss of the carriage doors cut off his cries.

“You knew!” Su hissed accusingly at Kya.

“Not until today!” Kya protested. “But I did know about Kanto. It's the only reason I could think of as to why she'd leave in such a hurry with a stranger, was if it was linked to him. Lin’s been searching for him ever since Toph dropped the name last year.”

“What? She only told Lin about him last _year_?” Ruo interrupted her.

“Yep.”

“But he left his name, his address!” Ruo fell silent for a moment and the continued in a whisper. “He always thought she knew. That she just didn’t want anything to do with him.” She covered her mouth with her hand, tears springing to her eyes.

“Does he talk about her?” Su asked, in a far gentler voice. “About Mom? Toph, I mean. And Lin?”

Ruo wiped her eyes, sniffed, tried to compose herself. “Not a lot. I mean, I knew that he’d had a daughter. But my mother told me never to mention it. Raiyo, that’s my daughter, Raiyo never knew, until my father told her himself, very recently. That’s when she decided to find her. Of course, that was rather easy. The Beifongs are a very well-known family after all. And the Chief of Police of Republic City was hardly going to be difficult to track down.”

“What’s your family like?” Su asked curiously, but also in an effort to be friendly and cheer Ruo up.

“Oh, we’re a pretty lively bunch I suppose. It’s not just me. I have two older brothers. They’re both very responsible. They pretty much run the farm now, between them. I was more of a wild child.” Ruo smiled apologetically. “You wouldn’t think now but I was. I got bored with the farm and ran off to the city when I was still in my teens. Came back with Raiyo. She never knew her dad either.” Ruo sighed. “It’s probably why she’s so passionate about this plan of hers. She feels it.” Ruo tapped her chest. “Here. But her situation is a little different. Her father made it quite clearly he never wanted anything to do with her.”

“And Kanto did?”

“Oh yes! I’m not sure what you’ve been told. They split up before Lin was even born, it’s true. Toph knew she was girl. Apparently she could sense things like that. But they disagreed on how to raise a child. Dad wanted to return home to his family, and Toph pretty much told him if he wanted to leave that badly then he could. I suppose on her side, she had her friends and her career in the city. He left behind his address, told Toph to contact him, if she ever needed anything. When neither of them ever made any contact, Dad assumed that was Lin’s decision as well and respected that. But you said Lin never knew.”

“No. Toph never talked about either of our fathers.” Su frowned, struck by a sudden thought. “Does Lin know?” She turned to Kya. “About my father? Did she ever…”

Kya shook her head sadly. “No.”

“But surely!”

“Before you were born, Lin used to regularly come stay at Air Temple Island. Whatever happened, Lin wasn’t there to notice anything. I swear, Su, if she did, she would’ve told you. She always hated not having a dad. I know you two didn’t always get along, but she wouldn’t have done that to you.”

“No.” Su sighed. “You’re right. She wouldn’t. She’s so honourable, like that.” She smiled brightly, trying to rally her spirits. “So! Does Lin look anything like her dad?”

“I really don’t know. I’ve never met her. And it’s hard to tell from photographs. So!” Ruo gave a rather mischievous grin. “You and Lin didn’t get along?”

Kya let out another loud “Ha!” at Su’s awkward expression. But Opal came to her mother’s rescue, returning to their table along with Bolin and food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what other huge truths does Bolin know about?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iiiii messed up and deleted the acutal chapter instead of the draft that for some reason was still there my bad this is just a repost

With her secret having now been revealed, Ruo turned out to be just as insistent as Suyin when it came to wanting information. Kya sat back and folded her arms and refused to say anything unless she felt that Su’s stories were getting a little too inaccurate, at which point she interjected. Ruo listened eagerly, even to Bolin’s fanboyish accounts of Lin bending entire tunnels through the earth and how she could sense every single person around her and who they were. And in the end, even a two day journey was not enough time for her to hear everything.

They disembarked from the train at the town nearest to the farm. Ruo had already warned them about the five mile trek that was left to go, apologising for the lack of transport.

“Or do you want to find a place to stay first and ring back to Republic City to tell them you’ve arrived safely?” she asked, as they stepped outside the station.

“Ooh! Yeah. I’m on a mission. I should probably report back to Mako. He still thinks this is a kidnap situation.” Bolin bit his lip.

“Then we should probably confirm Lin’s safety first, right? Before reporting in.” Kya grinned, winking at Ruo who was looking baffled.

“Why would he think this is a kidnap situation??”

“Well the Chief left really suddenly and without really explaining anything. And you didn’t really explain anything either.”

“It wasn’t my place to _really explain_ anything if Chief Beifong hadn’t told you personally. Besides, Kya said she understood.”

“Kya has a lot to explain too.” Su snorted.

“And I’m not explaining anything until we’ve seen Lin.” Kya said cheerfully.

The train station was located on the outskirts of the town and it wasn’t long before they’d left the last few houses behind. The potholed and dusty road that they were walking down was explanation enough as to why they weren’t taking a Satomobile.

“We do have carts, but they’ll all be in use at the moment.” Ruo explained before striding easily ahead.

“I can see why Mom wouldn’t have wanted to move out here.” Su remarked to Kya as they followed her.

“Bit a far cry from Republic City and Zaofu hm?” Kya looked back to make sure Opal and Bolin were keeping up. He seemed rather in awe of everything and kept gazing around him at the wide fields either side of the road. “But you’ve travelled as well. You never stayed in places like this?”

“It was more pirate ships and desert communes than farms.” Su admitted.

“That sounds about right for you.” Kya laughed. “You’ll have to tell me about it someday.”

“You’d be interested?” Su nearly tripped in her surprise.

“Sure! Wouldn’t you want to know how a 16 year old brat ended up as the respected matriarch of an entire clan and city? That’s a journey worth finding out about.”

“It’s really not as exciting as you’d think.” Su sighed. “I just realised that what I wanted was a family.”

“And the one you had wasn’t about to start talking to you again after what you did. So you had to make a new one.” Kya nodded thoughtfully.

Suyin stopped, catching the sharper point to Kya’s words, but the waterbender kept on walking. Su waited until Bolin and Opal caught up to them and walked the rest of the way with them.

Eventually they reached a sprawling collection of low slung outbuildings, scattered around a two storey cottage. A few stray chickens pecked their way across the yard but apart from that the place looked deserted. 

“They’ll all be working in the fields.” Ruo explained as she let them into the cottage. “DAD!!” she startled them all with the loud bellow. “WE’VE GOT VISITORS!”

She shooed them into a large kitchen that clearly doubled as a dining room and gestured for them to sit down at the wooden table that dominate the centre, before leaving to find her father.

“So.” Bolin began. “This seems nice.” He spread his hands on the dark wood table. It matched the cupboards the lined every wall, except the one with a huge range set into it. “And clean.” He looked round at the counter tops and hastily removed his hands, trying to polish where they’d been with his sleeve before folding his hands into his lap. Opal reached over and took one, giving it a reassuring squeeze with her own. There was a nervous tension in the air, not helped by Su glaring the occasional surreptitious dagger at Kya.

It wasn’t long before Ruo came back, followed by a serious looking man with wavy grey hair and glasses resting on the end of his nose. Age made him stoop a little, but he walked unaided, and his light green eyes seemed keen and penetrating. “Welcome.” He nodded at them individually. “My daughter tells me that you wish to speak with me. I can guess, given our other guest, the topic.”

Bolin took it upon himself to break the ensuing silence. “Uh. You’re Kanto, right?”

“I am.” He sat down at the head of the table, steepling his fingers and staring at Bolin.

“Uhhh. So. You’re Lin’s dad?” Bolin tugged at the neck of his shirt, looking round at his companions for help. Kya was too busy watching with an amused expression on her face and Opal and Su were staring at Kanto in mild amazement.

“I am.”

“We’re here to see her. Do you…is she…I mean…guys!! A little help?”

Kanto smiled and took pity on him. “I imagine my daughter is still in the fields. She offered to help with the ploughing.”

“ _Ploughing?_ ” Suyin managed at last.

“Yes. Both she and my granddaughter are earthbenders. I imagine it makes the task rather easy.”

“ _GRANDDAUo_ oh. Ohhh you mean...” Bolin let out a long breath that ended in a cough.

“ _My_ daughter.” Ruo burst out laughing at his reaction. “Her father was one. The rest of the family have no bending ability.”

“Ruo, why don’t you go and call them in?” Kanto suggested. “Rather than make everyone wait until the end of the day. I suspect they’re anxious to see Lin.”

“Sure.” Ruo nodded and left.

“They shouldn’t be too long. But would you like some refreshment while you wait?” He eased himself out the chair and went to a cupboard above the sink. Opal leapt up and helped him get down enough glasses. He smiled approvingly as she offered to pour the juice but waved her away.

“This is good!” Bolin said, downing his in one go.

“Thank you. My eldest son, Garpho, makes it from our own fruit.” Kanto poured him some more.

The sound of laughter and scolding from the hallway interrupted any further conversation.

“You were meant to be ploughing!”

“We put them all back, it’s fine! And we’re well ahead of schedule. With two of us, you’ll have to get more fields to plough.”

“What does Dad want anyway?”

They all gasped as they recognised the last voice. But the owner of the voice, when she opened the door, seemed nearly unrecognisable. Lin was dressed in her white vest, sturdy brown trousers and no shoes. Her legs, arms and face were flecked with dirt and her hair was scraped back into an unruly ponytail.

“Have you been making the furrows dance again, Raiyo?” Kanto asked, looking from Lin to the young woman who’d followed her in.

“Aunty Lin can make the entire _field_ dance Grampa! You should see it!” Raiyo laughed as she slipped past Lin and poured herself some juice, pausing in drinking it as she picked up on the subtle tension between the people sitting round the table and her Aunty Lin. “Uhh…”

“What the flame-o are you lot doing here?” Lin scowled, stomping over to a counter and resting against it.

“Well, _someone_ disappeared without telling us and we’ve been on a small detective hunt to try and find them.” Su mirrored her sister’s expression.

“What do you mean? I wrote letters.” Lin protested.

“We thought you might’ve been forced to write them.” Bolin admitted.

That got a snort of laughter. “You think this is a hostage situation?”

Ruo bit her lip, not wanting to confirm anything but Raiyo laughed out loud.

“Lin, why don’t you introduce us?” Kanto cut across the merriment.

“Sorry. This is Kya, Suyin, my half-sister and Opal my half-niece and Bolin is the one who she’s dating.”

“You already know Ruo, I gather. This is my granddaughter, Raiyo.” Kanto gestured at the two women who had sat either side of him. “She was the one who travelled to Republic City to find Lin and bring her back here.”

“We gathered.” Suyin muttered.

“And I gather,” Kanto looked at her “that their rather precipitous departure has caused some distress amongst you.”

“I wrote letters!” Lin snapped.

“I know, Lin.” He smiled. “Apparently, your friends and family are so concerned for your well-being that these and the information they contained were not sufficient to ease their fears.”

“No! They weren’t. Would it have hurt you to let us know where you were going? Everyone’s been worried.”

“I don’t recall ever having to explain or needing permission to go somewhere before!”

“You have responsibilities, Lin! Mako’s been having to cover for you.” Su looked shocked.

“Oh! You’re a fine one to lecture _me_ about responsibilities!”

“You could’ve at least told us what was going on. Why didn’t you tell me what Mom told you about your dad?” Su stood up.

“What would be the point? So you could go round feeling miserable and hurt about it? Because she’s never said anything about yours? Besides, he’s _my_ father.”

“And you’ve lived without him for fifty years! Was it really so urgent you just had to drop everything?”

Lin’s expression was one Bolin and Opal recognised and they winced to see it. It was the one she’d turned on Bolin when he’d asked about her dad and it had been followed by a huge argument.

“Enough!” Kanto must’ve seen it too because he stood up as well and held out his hands to silence them both. “Suyin? Was it? I realise that you’ve been upset, but I won’t have my family spoken to in such a way. Now. Your journey has been a long one, no doubt you’re also tired. If you return to the city, there’s a hotel there where you can find lodgings. I believe it has a radio unit. You should be able to call to Republic City and update any of your friends back there, so they can stop worrying as well. You may return here tomorrow, once you are rested, to talk further and hopefully in a more civilised manner.”

Suyin’s jaw dropped. As did Lin’s.

“You’ve had a long day too, Lin.” Kanto put a hand on her shoulder. “You should wash up and eat something, and then we can talk more after that, if you wish.”

“I’ll show you to the door.” Raiyo leapt up and scurried into the hallway.

“Um! Thanks for the juice, uh…Lin’s dad.” Bolin gave a slightly manic smile as he got up and followed her.

“Mom?” Opal said, a little nervous.

“Of course.” Suyin nodded and, with a whirl of her robes, followed everyone else out.

The walk back to the town was in silence. By the time they reached the hotel Kanto had spoken of, they were footsore and hungry and Suyin seemed to have lost her anger. Bolin and Opal shared a room, making Suyin frown but Kya dragged her away to find their rooms.

“What did you think of him?” Suyin asked, at the door to her room.

Kya didn’t bother to question who Su was talking about. “He seems kind. He stood up to you for Lin. That’s a first for her. She must like him. I do.”

“Because you stand up to me for Lin too?” Suyin smirked. “Does she like you too?”

There was only the briefest of pauses. “Duh. We’ve been friends since we were kids. I’m the one that healed her face.” Kya pointed to her own cheek. “Not to mention the rest.”

Suyin frowned. “What do you mean?”

Kya had already winced the minute she’d said it. “Nothing.” She turned to leave but Su grabbed her arm. Kya shrugged herself free. “Look. If Lin wanted you to know things? She would’ve told you already. I’d stop asking her why she hasn’t told you anything and start asking yourself.”


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, after a surprisingly good hotel breakfast albeit in a remarkably subdued atmosphere, Kya offered to go alone back to the farm, her argument being Lin might be more willing to talk to her and things might go more smoothly in general without Su there too.

“And _then_ will you explain to us, like you said you would?” Su asked, accompanying Kya to the hotel entrance.

“I’ve already explained as much as I can, without Lin’s permission.” Kya looked round at the street as she opened the door. “Stay here. Enjoy the town. Spend some quality time with Opal and Bolin. He might end up as your son-in-law after all.” Kya winked at Su and bounded down the steps before Su could reply.

The road was now damp earth rather than dust, from the rain over night and instead of avoiding potholes, Kya was splashing through puddles, whistling to herself as she idly bent the water off her. She was surprised halfway there by meeting a cart in the road and was about to step out of its way when the driver, a tall thin man with black hair tied in a ponytail, hailed her.

“Hey! Are you…Su? Kya? I’m Pulto. I offered to come pick you guys up this morning. Or just you, as it turns out. Guess I’m a little late. Sorry.” Pulto offered a hand but Kya ignored it and pulled herself up next to him. “It’s an early start on the farm.” He explained. “I’ve only just finished my jobs.”

“So. You must be one of Lin’s half-brothers? Ruo said she had two.”

“Yup. You’ll meet Garpho today too. If you want. I mean mostly he’s pretty busy. We’ve got a big job to do today." Pulto turned the cart round. "Makes it easier really if it is just you coming.”

“In more ways than one.” Kya snorted. “We figured we’d have more success without Suyin there.”

“Yeah. I heard that didn’t go well yesterday. Well, it’s hardly surprising.”

“Lin’s told you a lot about Su?”

“No.” Pulto looked surprised. “No, she didn’t even really mention her before she turned up. Ah.” He sighed as he pulled the cart up outside the house. “It’s complicated. Well! They were all in the kitchen, last time I saw. I’d best go. Sort out the ostrich horse.” He jumped down, waiting for Kya to do so as well before leading the ostrich horse off.

The short thickset man who by elimination was Garpho was stood with Raiyo and Lin around the kitchen table, on which was spread a large and detailed map.

“I think if we put a drainage ditch at the bottom that should help with the flooding. Particularly if we take it all the way to the river.” Garpho traced his finger along the map as he spoke. “If you’re sure that wouldn’t be too much effort. It’d take us days to dig that, for all it doesn’t look that far on the map.”

“Aunty Lin can do it easily Gar! I told you! She’s amazing.” Raiyo laughed, clapping Lin on the shoulder.

Kya wanted to laugh at the mildly unnerved expression on Lin’s face that the gesture caused, but turned it into a cough instead, making all three of them look up at her.

Lin stood up straight and folded her arms. “And of course with a little Master Waterbender action, we could get the floods off the field as well.” She gave a small smile of welcome and jerked her head to the empty place next to her.

Kya walked over and shuffled up to stand close to Lin. “What are you doing?”

“The bottom field keeps flooding. The heavy rain last night made it happen again. But we’ve never had the time or energy to be able to deal with it and Rai’s earth bending can be a little…” Garpho waggled his hand.

“I never had a master!” Raiyo protested. “At least until now. I’m learning loads from Aunty Lin.”

Kya looked sideways at Lin and was close enough to see the small flush at the words.

“Opal will be jealous. She’s always thought she was your favourite niece.” Kya waited to comment on it until the other two were loading things up on the cart that Pulto had brought back round.

“She was my only niece until recently.” Lin shrugged into her jacket. “Unless you’re counting Kuvira.”

“No.” Kya made a face. “So. You’ve found your dad.”

Lin suddenly looked guarded. “Yes.”

“Not to agree with Su, but you left in a hurry.”

“Sorry.”

Kya smiled at the not very apologetic sounding apology. “So. What’s wrong with him?”

“Huh.” Lin snorted. “You want my job? You’d make a good detective.”

“Mm. Only when it comes to you. So?” Kya asked again, gently.

“Something not even a Master Healer could fix.” Lin muttered.

She’d suspected an illness, but she’d been hoping she might’ve been able to help and it crushed Kya slightly to see Lin’s shoulders sag like that. “I’m sorry Lin.” Kya reached out and pulled her into a hug, grateful and relieved when Lin accepted it and hugged her back.

“It’s not fair!”

“I know.” She rubbed Lin’s back.

“Hey! Are you guys coming?” Raiyo called out.

“Yeah sure!” Lin broke away hurriedly and climbed up onto the back of the cart. She looked at Kya who nodded and hauled herself up next to Lin.

“It looks like it’s doing you good.” Kya tried to start on a lighter topic. “The sun. The outdoors.” She looked at Lin, leaning against the side of the cart, dangling an arm over the edge of it.

“A lot easier than chasing criminals and a lot nicer than sitting at a desk all day. Although, as last night proved, it’s not always nice weather.” Lin shrugged, feeling Kya’s gaze on her. “I guess it’s rare for me to be so relaxed. Even with everything.”

“A few days in the country was all it took? Perhaps you should stay.”

“That’s…”

“That’s what we’re trying to tell her.” Raiyo interrupted from the cart seat with a laugh. “We’ve almost got her convinced.”

They arrived at the field and further conversation was halted until the ditch was dug which, as Raiyo had predicted, took Lin a very short amount of time. Kya took over once Lin had finished, bending the water off the fields and into the ditch, sending it down to the river.

“Hey. Maybe you should stay too.” Garpho nodded appreciatively.

“Tell me more and I might.” Kya offered. “How did all this happen?”

They sat down next to the cart and pulled out lunch packages, Lin offering half of hers to Kya.

“Well. Although Dad used to work in Republic City, he came from round here originally. So when things didn’t work out there,” Garpho glanced at Lin, “he came back here. Met Mom. Oh! You haven’t met Mom yet. She had to go to one of the bigger towns. There’s things we can’t get locally. Anyways, they set up this farm together after Dad’s parents died. They had me first. Then Pulto, then Ruo. We were always farm boys. We keep close to home.” He laughed. “But Ruo had an adventurous streak.”

“So we heard.” Kya smiled.

“Went off to the big town.”

“Came back with me.” Raiyo grinned. “I never knew my father either but hey I had this lug here and Pulto AND Grampa and Gramma, so I never felt I was missing out.”

“And then Raiyo here decided to pull her own big city adventure,” Garpho sounded stern for a moment, “and came back with Lin.”

“And then you guys followed _us_ back!” Raiyo finished.

“Yeah. About that. I get that maybe I didn’t explain a lot in the letters, but kidnap? Hostage? Really?” Lin smiled at Kya.

“That wasn’t me.” Kya pointed out. “Mako was the one who went overboard on that and Su just seemed to encourage him.”

Lin snorted. “I can’t tell whether she’s worried or nosy.”

“This is Su, so probably both.” Kya fell silent and turned to watch Raiyo, who’d leapt down from the cart and was practicing her earthbending. “I think she just misses the connection with you. You weren’t _always_ fighting as kids.”

Lin ignored her and watched Raiyo as well. The young woman realised she’d become the centre of attention and waved at them. Lin waved half-heartedly back, called out a correction for her to make then sat back against wheel of the cart, staring at her abandoned lunch. Kya reached over and cupped Lin’s cheek in her hand, stroking a thumb over the scars. Lin raised an eyebrow but didn’t shy away from the gesture.

“I told him about us.” She blurted out. “Kanto, I mean.”

Kya’s hand fell away and she stared wide-eyed in shock, searching Lin’s expression for any clue as to how that had gone. “And?” She asked after a while.

Lin shrugged. “Didn’t seem to mind. Didn’t even seem surprised. Just smiled like…it made sense or something.” She reached out and found Kya’s hand, squeezing it.

“Well.” Kya smiled. “I like to think we do.”

“I just didn’t see the point of hiding it.” Lin explained. “I figured I found him, might as well find out about him. I’ve spent enough of my life wondering about him, didn’t need to wonder about that too.”

“Lin. It’s fine.” Kya tried to reassure her. “I’m glad. He seems to really care about you.”

“Yeah. It’s nice. Weird.”

“I thought I’d have to heal a rib not laughing yesterday when he told Su off like that.”

The way Lin winced surprised Kya and she decided to change the subject. “So. You have a step-mom?”


	6. Chapter 6

Kya waved a hand in front of Lin’s suddenly glazed expression. “Lin? Lin!”

Lin batted Kya’s hand away and lowered her head between her knees, grasping her head in her hands. Kya raised an eyebrow and sat back, trying to think of a topic of conversation that would be safe. Her mind came up blank and they sat there together in silence until Garpho came over to hitch the ostrich horse back up to the cart.

He stared down at them. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah. I just mentioned about having a step-mother. I think it freaked her out.” Kya grinned guiltily.

“Oh. Well. We’re heading back now. Or do you guys want to stay out here for a bit?”

“I should probably get back to the town.” Kya stood up and brushed her skirts off.

“Hey!” Lin came out her daze and grabbed at Kya’s hand.

“I’ve got to go back at some point, Lin.” Kya squeezed Lin’s hand gently.

“You could stay here.” Lin muttered, pulling herself up to stand in front of Kya.

“Uh. Lin?” Garpho interrupted in a polite voice. “I know I joked about Kya staying here but…you’ve got the only guest room. The farmhouse isn’t that big.” He finished apologetically.

Kya glanced at Lin, but Lin was glaring at the ground as if she could earthbend with her mind.

“Hey. No worries. I can sleep in the barn or something.” Kya tugged at Lin’s hand and dragged them both into the cart.

“What?” Garpho looked at her scandalised as he stepped up onto the board. “We can’t have a guest sleep in a barn.”

“Why doesn’t Kya share Lin’s room?” Raiyo grinned, earthbending herself up to sit next to her uncle.

Garpho frowned, twitching the reins to make the ostrich horse move forward. “I suppose we could set up a camp bed, but it’s hardly…”

“Honestly? A camp bed would be better than the hotel’s bed.” Kya snorted.

“Gaaarrrr.” Raiyo slapped a hand against her forehead. “They’ll be sharing the bed too.”

“Rai that’s…” he fell silent. Looked back at Kya and Lin, then down at their joined hands. “Oh!” his face lit up. “Oh, well, in that case, of course you have to stay! I’m so sorry. I didn’t…wait are you?” he wanted to confirm.

“Yes.” Kya cut him off, raising an questioning eyebrow at Lin.

“I haven’t got round to telling _everyone_ yet!” Lin protested. “It’s been a busy few days. I only saw my other half-sister for the first time last night and yes, now that you mention it, I have a step-mother to meet as well and…”

“It’s fine, Lin!” Garpho reassured her as he drew the cart up in front of the house. “Of course there’s still so much to talk about, and I’ve been busy on the farm anyway. Slightly less busy now, thanks to you.” He leapt down and smiled. 

“Either way, I should go back to the town to pick up my stuff if I’m staying here.” Kya hung her legs off the back of the cart. “I could bring the others back with me this afternoon as well?”

“You mean Suyin?” Garpho’s face took on a guarded expression.

Kya glanced at Lin in time to see another wince. “Or I can just let them know what’s happening and come back alone?”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll come with you.” Lin set off down the road without a backward glance. Kya waved a goodbye to Garpho and Raiyo and followed her after her.

Kya let Lin stomp alongside for a while, trying to enjoy the walk back to the town in the humid afternoon air, and trying not to think too wistfully about the fact they could’ve asked for a cart, considering she was coming back with her bag as well. She’d just decided that Lin could carry it back for her as recompense for storming off when Lin surprised her by coming to an abrupt halt.

“I need a rest.” She said shortly and threw herself down at the edge of the road, leaning against the bank.

Kya sat down in a far gentler manner beside her, crossing her legs as if she were about to meditate. She let Lin sit in silence, knowing that with having so much to talk about, Lin probably needed a mental rest far more than a physical one. She closed her eyes and listened to the constant hum of the insects instead, small chirps from what sounded like spirits, and the wind in the grasses on the bank. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, smiling as she heard Lin copy her. She remained silent, even when she heard Lin shift beside her and felt Lin’s head rest against her shoulder.

“I came out here by myself because I wanted to have time to figure all this out without having to explain it to anyone else.” Lin said at last, digging moodily in the dirt with her heels, bending earth until her feet were entirely covered. “Sorry. I should’ve told you at least.”

“Mmhm.” Kya agreed. “And then, if you’d wanted, I could’ve told everyone else. And then you wouldn’t have Su and how she fits into all this as another thing to figure out.” The groan that Lin let out was soft, but Kya heard it all the same.

“Is this the part where I get another lecture about asking for help?”

“I’ll leave it for another day.” Kya nudged Lin playfully. “Want to tell me why they don’t like Su? Pulto told me you barely mentioned her so it can’t be tales of her past misdemeanours.”

“Look. This isn’t Republic City or Zaofu. It’s not even a major city. It’s the back of beyond in the Earth Kingdom and there aren’t many benders around here. In the past they were invaded by the fire nation and they’ve always had to deal with bandits and raiders, most of whom _are_ benders.”

“Okay.”

“And then the Earth Kingdom fell. It wasn’t just Raiko and Tenzin’s idea for Su to step in as leader, it was popular among pretty much all the major cities. A Beifong. Practically royalty themselves.”

“Should’ve asked you.”

Lin’s head jerked back at Kya’s teasing. “Beifong by name and nature only.” She grunted. “Su got most of the money.”

“And she said no.”

“Well, she doesn’t like the idea of the monarchy. She certainly wouldn’t have wanted to become a stand-in Earth Queen. Maybe she thought if they left the Earth Kingdom to it, it’d become naturally democratic or something.” Lin shrugged. “And Su wasn’t alone in not liking the Earth Queen. People here weren’t exactly leaping for joy about a stand-in so everything could go back to the old way.”

“But because Su said no, Kuvira happened.”

“Right. And she may have stopped the raiders, but she recruited a lot of them into her army. To the people here? It didn’t feel like a lot changed. The raiders just had uniforms on when they came making demands, and more power than ever. And Kuvira hardly kept it secret that she was from Zaofu.”

“Oh.” Kya found herself wincing. “So they see it as Su’s fault?”

“I wouldn’t say that. Zaofu was seen as sort of elitist and separate even before. It’s not even resentment, it’s just…she’s someone in a position of power that they don’t really respect. And before it was fine. It doesn’t affect them. They knew Kanto had had a kid with another woman, but he hadn’t told them who she was. There’s no connection.”

“And then everything comes out, because he’s ill-“

“-dying-“

“-and they end up with Suyin Beifong herself yelling in their kitchen.” Kya finished, nodding sympathetically.

“Right. They don’t need anything more stressing Dad out.”

“More?”

“Well I turn up on his doorstep.” Lin shrugged.

“I never find that stressful when you do that.” Kya reassured her.

“That’s because I’ve never once turned up on your doorstep. _You_ turned up on mine.” Lin reminded her. 

“Right.” Kya laughed.

“But at the same time, they’re trying to be really polite about Su, because…” Lin gestured at herself. “They care about me, I guess. I haven’t dared tell them what she was like as a kid.”

Kya burst out laughing. “It’s cute that you’re still so protective of Su.”

“What?”

Kya pressed her knuckles to her chin. “Well. You told your new-found dad, in the back of beyond of the Earth Kingdom, your words, that you’re in a relationship with another woman, on what, day one? of you seeing him for the first time ever in your entire life?”

“I suppose that was a bit of a risk.” Lin admitted.

“But you haven’t told them your sister scarred you for life and ran around with criminals when she was young because they’re already disillusioned with her and you don’t want them to think even worse of her. I’m just saying. It’s cute.”

“Hmph.” Lin slumped back onto the bank, folding her arms and scowling.

“Is it true you told Su you loved her?” Kya fell back to lie beside her, propping herself up on an elbow.

“Only because I thought I was going to be blown up by a combustion bender!”

Kya’s lips twitched. “And you didn’t want her having to live, wondering about whether you’d ever truly forgiven her.” She clasped her hands over her heart. “That’s so beautifu-whoa!” She let out a cry as Lin earthbent the ground beneath her and sent her sprawling.

Lin’s hmph this time sounded far more amused as she stood up. “We should get moving if we want to reach the town before dark.”

“You know, being around your new, caring and really polite family is going to be good for you.” Kya ignored Lin’s outstretched hand and got up, meticulously dusting herself off, waterbending away patches of mud.

“I feel politer already.” Lin said flatly, holding out her arm persistently and Kya gave in and hooked her own around Lin’s elbow as they continued on their way towards the town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Kya have experience of Suyin Beifong turning up in her kitchen and yelling? possibly


	7. Chapter 7

Kya dropped Lin’s arm when they arrived at the hotel. “Back of beyond of the Earth Kingdom, right?” she explained when Lin looked surprised. “Besides, imagine if Su saw us.” Kya walked up the stairs to her room.

Lin followed in silence, contemplating Kya’s words and feeling strangely stung by them. She watched Kya move around the hotel room, gathering up the few things that she’d unpacked. She realised they’d never told anyone officially. Not together. She’d told Kanto by herself, Raiyo had figured it out alone and Bolin had found out by accident, wandering into her office without knocking one day. She suspected that he’d spilled the beans to the rest of the new Team Avatar, probably in a fit of panic. Not that she minded that. Korra and Asami were together and weren’t likely to make a fuss. And Mako could keep a secret. She was surprised that Opal didn’t seem to know. Perhaps Bolin had calmed down by the time he’d next seen her.

She went over to the bed and absentmindedly picked up Kya’s sleeping tunic, folding it for her.

“Hey Lin?”

Lin spun round, jerked out of her reverie. She placed the tunic in Kya’s waiting hand.

“Do you really want me to stay at the farm with you?”

Lin blinked, almost too surprised at the question to answer it. “Of course.”

“I mean, Su’s going to ask questions about that.” Kya pointed out. “You sure you’re ready to answer them?”

Lin sat down heavily on the bed and rested her chin on her hands. Kya sat down next to her, falling back until she was half sprawled across the bed.

“Or I can leave, take everyone back to Republic City with me.”

“What?!”

“I can explain everything too now that you’ve told me.” She opened one eye and stared up at Lin. “Can even tell Su about us, as well. If you wanted.”

Lin met Kya’s gaze and felt the gently made point behind the offer. “No.” She took a deep breath and led down next to Kya. “I don’t want you to leave. And I’ll tell Su.”

Kya rolled over and flung her leg over, so she was sat straddling Lin. “Okay.”

Lin flushed slightly. “Will you come with me? Talking to Su is exhausting at the best of times.”

Kya smiled, leaning down to kiss Lin. “I can do that too.”

They were interrupted by the sound of a frantic voice outside the door.

“No nono no no no!! We have to _knock_ first. We can’t just _randomly_ go round opening closed doors without _knocking_! You never know what could be behind them!” Bolin was now thumping heavily on the door.

“Except. We do. It’s Lin and Kya. We saw them go in.” Opal sounded confused.

“Yeah! But!” Bolin trailed off.

“At least he’s learnt his lesson.” Kya rolled off Lin and let her get up.

“Ugh.” Lin rolled her eyes and strode across the room, flinging the door open.

Bolin froze with his fist raised and then hastily lowered it, shoving it behind his back.

“What do you two want?” Lin asked them brusquely.

“Um. We saw you come in. And we wanted to say sorry for last night. We didn’t mean to intrude like that.” Opal stopped, looking slightly lost.

“And I would like to take this opportunity to say that this is all Mako’s fault! He was the one who was convinced we should come out here with Su and Ruo.” Bolin pointed out. “And we didn’t know about the whole situation until we were already on the train. And then it seemed a little late to go back. And then…”

“And we’ve decided we should probably head back to Republic City.” Opal interrupted him. “We used the hotel’s radio to call there this morning and let them know where you are and that you’re okay.”

“Yeah. And as that was our mission, from _Mako_ , just saying, now that we know you didn’t get kidnapped or anything,” Bolin laughed nervously, “not that you would’ve been! Not really. Because. You’re far too cool and awesome to allow that to happen. Accidentally. No, no. You only get captured on purpose. Unlike me. Hoo! Yeah. Anyway.”

“They said they got your letter too.” Opal gently cut across him again.

“You sent another letter?” Kya walked up behind Lin, intrigued by this new information.

“Just to let Mako know where he could contact me. I sent you one too.”

“You never told me that.” Kya said wryly.

“Well, clearly you all left before it arrived so what would be the point?” Lin said exasperatedly.

Kya eyed Lin. “Make it easier for me to forgive you for taking off in a hurry?” she shrugged and turned back to Opal. “So. You two are leaving? What about Su?”

“Um. She didn’t say anything when we told her.” Opal said awkwardly. “I think…”

“She wants to talk to me, right?” Lin sighed. “Don’t worry, kid. I’ll sort it. And you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I mean you’ve got a half-grandfather and…two half…half-uncles…a half half-aunt and a half half…cousin?” Lin screwed up her face as she tried to figure out the connection.

“I think what Lin is trying to say is that you’re her family, Opal,” Kya flung an arm around the young airbender’s shoulders, “and so her new family is your new family too.” She finished the translation.

“Yeah. What Kya said.” Lin nodded.

Kya was not surprised at the tears in Opal’s eyes and she stood back to allow Opal to fling her arms around Lin’s neck as she cried out “I’ll stay then!”

“Um. Does that include me too?” Bolin asked nervously, pointing at himself.

Kya shared a look with Lin. “Sure it does, right Lin?” she grinned. “After all, he could end up being your half-nephew-in-law.”

“My what now?” Lin grimaced.

Kya and Lin left Opal and Bolin heading down to the hotel reception to explain that they wanted to book back in and headed towards Su’s room. Lin knocked and opened the door after the faint ‘come in’ to find Su sitting glumly in the small wooden armchair in the corner. Kya went over and led down on the bed, bouncing on it to see if it was comfier than hers had been. Su ignored her, looking at Lin instead, who was still standing by the door, looking awkward.

“I’m sorry.” Su said seriously. “For yelling at you yesterday.”

“Hey. At least we didn’t end up acutally fighting.” Lin gave a half-hearted smile as she walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Kya watched as the two sisters mirrored each other, hunched over, elbows on their knees and hands dangling between their legs, staring down at the floor.

“Lin!” Su exclaimed before Lin could say anything. “Did you walk here barefoot?”

“Sure.” Lin shrugged. “What? Mom walked barefoot everywhere.”

“You’ll get mud all over the floor.” Su tutted and bent the earth off of Lin’s feet and into a small pile on the bedside cabinet. “If they charge me for that, I’m making you pay for it.”

“Like you couldn’t afford it.” Lin rolled her eyes and rubbed at her ankles.

Kya watched Su watching her sister and realised that Su had noticed. She winced at Su’s frown and hastily tried to arrange an expression of innocence when Su glanced at her. 

“When did you get _those_ scars?” Su asked softly.

“A long time ago now.” Lin replied offhandedly after a moment’s silence. “You should see the other guy.” She gave an amused snort.

Kya closed her eyes, expecting Su to interrogate Lin further, but perhaps her words the night before had hit home because Su merely sighed.

“A long time ago.” Su repeated and resumed staring at the floor.

The awkward silence was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. It opened at another weary ‘come in’ from Su and Bolin and Opal sidled in.

“Hey. We’ve got our room back okay.”

“Yeah. I guess it’s not like there’s a big rush or anything out here.” Bolin laughed nervously.

“You’re staying?” Su stared between Opal and Lin.

“Yeah. About that.” Lin turned to her sister. “I was going to ask if you wanted to stay. I mean, I want you to stay. Even Dad said you could come back, right? As long as we don’t end up yelling at each other again. So.”

Su nodded, a small smile on her lips. “I can stay.”

“And look.” Lin continued. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I uh…didn’t realise that everyone would get so worried just cos I took some time off.” She gave another amused snort. “Oh well. At least if I ever do get captured again, at least I’ll know there’s a rescue team on the way.” She grinned awkwardly.

“Mmhm!” Opal nodded, with a satisfied grin. “Wait.” It dropped into a confused frown.

“Captured again?” Su looked horrified.

“Heh. If I had a yuan for every time I got captured…” Lin shrugged in an offhand manner. “I’d only have two yuans.” She added hastily, as she saw Opal’s face mirroring Su’s horror.

“So!” Kya sat up and put a hand on Lin’s shoulder. “We should probably be heading back to the farm now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally admitting to myself after two reposts and weeks of editing this chapter will never be what I want it I'm officially moving on, breaking up with this chapter happy valentines day to me with this chapter no longer in my life


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